Green destinations gets GSTC accreditation

Affirms Green Destinations’ commitment to promoting sustainable tourism products and services.

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has announced that Green Destinations has achieved the ‘GSTC-Accredited’ status. The awarded status affirms Green Destinations’ commitment to promoting sustainable tourism products and services.

Green Destinations is a non-profit organisation of experts and destination ambassadors working in 80 countries. The organisation supports a large community of local, regional and country destination managers and stakeholders, enhancing destination sustainability, market visibility, and tourism quality.

Green Destinations has developed a complete, affordable and easy-to-use Assessment & Certification programme that fits the needs of both small and larger destinations. It is operated through an online Assessment & Reporting platform based upon the GSTC-Recognised Green Destinations Standard and the GD Database with data from 2000 destinations. The platform helps destinations to improve sustainability management and performance.

Achieving the GSTC-Accredited status means that a certification program is following processes and procedures that have been reviewed and approved by the GSTC Accreditation Panel. Businesses and Destinations certified by a GSTC-Accredited certification program can also use the GSTC language and logo when they meet all GSTC Criteria. The purpose of the GSTC programs is to reward genuine practitioners of sustainable tourism, which in turn builds confidence and credibility with consumers.

Said Green Destinations’ founder Albert Salman. "We are very pleased  that Green Destinations has achieved the ‘GSTC-Accredited’ status. The awarded status affirms our commitment to promoting sustainability, tourism products, and services.

"We are extremely happy to receive this highest possible recognition after our hard work. We try to offer destinations and countries the best possible support in the market. We annually celebrate partial compliance to the GD Standard by awarding destinations with Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. Following this model, we offer a GSTC-Accredited certification mechanism to countries that developed their own national standard. I hope this will help avoid the development of a destination-label jungle, as happened in the hotels certification,"

"To date, only two destination programmes have achieved GSTC-Accredited status. Green Destinations is very pleased to be one of them and is looking forward to continue working with you towards achieving a higher level of sustainability."

"The Green Destinations programme provides an effective incentive to hundreds of destinations to shift their operations toward greater sustainability," says Luigi Cabrini, GSTC Chair. "Green Destinations and GSTC are cooperating since a long time and share the same principles and approaches. It is therefore with great satisfaction that we now welcome Green Destinations amongst the selected group of certification bodies that meet the highest standards."

To date, 4 accommodation programs, 5 tour-operator programs, and 2 destination programs have achieved GSTC-Accredited status. The completion of these step-wise programs rewards certification bodies for their commitment to sustainability while offering the market benefit of proof that their certification process is credible and adhere to international norms.

GSTC-Recognized standard owners are encouraged to join the leading GSTC-Accredited programs (accommodations, tour-operators, destinations) for and complete the Accreditation process which relates to the quality and neutrality of their certification process. Achieving a GSTC-Accredited status affirms that their certification process follows the highest international standards while further distinguishing their standards and processes amongst other certification programs. Learn more about GSTC Accreditation.

Green destinations also operates the Global Top100 Sustainable Destinations

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